Xuan Thuy was declared the country’s first Ramsar site by the Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in January 1989, it was upgraded from its status as a nature reserve and approved as a national park by the Prime Minister in 2003. Xuan Thuy was also included as part of the Red River Delta World Biosphere Heritage Site by UNESCO in October 2004.

The park is a rich, biodiverse coastal wetland environment that houses about 220 species of birds (including endangered species such as the Black-faced Spoonbill, Spotted Greenshank and Spoon-billed Sandpiper), 110 aquatic plant species, 500 species of benthos and zooplankton. Many aquatic species of high economic value, like shrimps, fish, crabs and oysters, are also found in the area. There are also some mammals such as the Fishing Cat, Eurasian Otter and Large Bandicoot-rat.

The National Park is accessible from one of the five nearby Communes which can be accessed from Hanoi by bus. Accommodation can be found at the nearby Communes, most notably Giao Xuan which offers a Community-based Eco-Tourist product for those who wish to visit Xuan Thuy and the surrounding towns.

There is limited accommodation to be found in the nearby towns but the home stay option in Giao Xuan is highly recommended as it gives tourists the opportunity to experience every day life in rural Vietnam.